The Carrow Haunting is a supernatural, gothic, thriller novel which combines everything I usually like to read. Though I like supernatural elements, I didn’t enjoy it as much in this one. I found the whole concept of the ghost story cliche and predictable. However, the character-bonding and twist made it a worthy read.
Remy is a tour guide of Carrow House and she is a great storyteller. In every tour, she makes the experience grand and memorable for her guests. One day, a guest named Mark offers her a good sum for letting him bring his own guests to explore the haunted house. And he wants Remy to stay in the house for two weeks as a guide. At first, she is inclined to reject the offer out of doubt but then she accepts it. Eight special guests are invited to stay, among them is a medium and the current owner of Carrow House.
The experience of settling in the house was spooky and spine-chilling. I loved the creaky floorboards, red water leaking down the wall, unlit rooms, stormy weather, and drafty windows. The whole atmosphere of the cold and abandoned place set my mood for a good horror story. I felt like I was in a movie. The characters had unique personalities which built suspense. And the story behind the house was compelling, about a serial killer taking on the identity of the original house owner. The killer’s past crimes haunted the Carrow House with all the spirits of the victims that were trapped there.
Though the backstory and characters were great, I felt like the story fell weak for me. I didn’t like the cliche ghost story of exploring the haunted house and getting stuck inside it. One by one when characters wanted to get out of there, they realized there was no escape but death. This made it a thrilling read because it gave the impression that someone in the group was murdering others. At least I thought it would be the case but there was more at play then I was expecting. The last part of the book was an anti-climax for me. It felt dramatic and didn’t live up to the thrill it had built earlier. I think the ending could have been better.
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